Discusses various aspects of the current debate surrounding evolution and creationism including the debate between neocatastrophists and phyletic gradualists. Includes a brief history of the Creation Research Society and other groups formed by antievolutionists. (CS)

Suggests the significant influence that Dallas C. Dickey had on contemporary study of public address, particularly the regional study of southern public address. Discusses major influences upon Dickey, his views of the critical study of public address, and the nature of his professional influence. (JMF)

Examines the premise that increased research provides important contributions to decision making. The study counterplan assumes that information can be developed in a way manageable to the policymaker, that study can assist in choosing from a variety of competing values, and that thoroughly researched decisions will be procedurally superior. (JMF)

Reports of President Clinton's National Information Infrastructure Advisory Council stressed the unanimity of expert opinion approving the wiring of the nation's schools. Argues that labeling some approaches to technical practice as antitechnology or Luddism excludes important viewpoints from policy debates, allowing the juggernaut of…

Elicits end-of-term written evaluations of debate-like activities in a 70-student class on rhetorical traditions. Indicates that, while a few students expressed discomfort with the competitiveness of the activities, most were laudatory. Shows the value of debate-across-the-curriculum for promoting small group communication and for fostering…

Two articles debate a recent research report on the status of Blacks in American society that concludes that differences in socioeconomic attainment between Blacks and Whites are the result of racial discrimination. The authors defend their report, although a critic asserts that such differences are the result of individual differences that place…

Discusses ways in which early childhood teachers can find their credo of education and credo of life. (BB)

Proposes satire as a form of argumentative practice. Examines eighteenth-century satirical attacks upon London's ubiquitous debating societies (formed among tradesmen, craftsmen, professionals, and small businessmen to "improve" themselves) as evidence of satire's public role in which the ideological struggle between social classes was…

Describes a class activity in which students receive copies of requests for charitable contributions, research the charities and issues, write a persuasive appeal for the charities, and debate the merits of the various causes examined by the class. Argues that students learn to analyze persuasive appeals, separate emotional from factual arguments,…

Two authors discuss contrasting methods of dropout prevention. Debates the effectiveness of coercion as opposed to positive incentives to keep students in school. (FMW)

Academic humanists have been hearing that too much of their research and teaching was politicized, trivialized by a fascination with popular culture, and preoccupied with questions of race, gender, and class. The most frequent target of critics are literary theorists and others farthest from traditional subjects and approaches. (MLW)

Analysis of the communicative setting of televised electoral debates in Israel focused on the stylistic features of the political candidates' discourse. The analysis identified and described such rhetorical strategies as figurative expressions and intensifiers, irony and rhetorical questions, repetition and parallelism, and meta-discoursive…

Investigates whether National Debate Tournament debaters are evaluated differently because of gender. Shows that male speakers received more points than females; the effect was more pronounced in the negative when female judges heard female/female teams; and male judges gave higher points to same-sex teams. Encourages all participants to be…

Uses an imaginary dialogue involving a critical theorist to explore propositions about the modern practice of adult education: (1) it has ceased to foster democratic social action; (2) its foundation is shaky; (3) it is governed by technical rationality, which favors the interests of business; and (4) self-directed learning is conceptually…

Studies the value of television commercials and political debates as sources of information about candidates. Reports that respondents who viewed both kinds of messages state that advertisements provide more information on issue positions. Concludes that debates are more effective in improving candidate name recognition and knowledge of party…